Twas the night before departure...

Twas the night before departure and all through the house,
not a creature was stirring, not even...well you get the picture.

After a long wait, and I mean a long wait...we are finally ready to hit the road for our Summer Vacation 2017.  Due to time constraints with our jobs, schooling, and other summer activities, we decided to wait until July for this year's trip.   Alyssa is currently two classes away from finishing her Master's Degree and I just completed my last of the mandatory Teacher Performance Activities and Final Portfolio, so let's just say we have been busy...but not the kind of busy we want to be.  Regardless, as we are about to embark, there are many feelings that are running across my mind.

The first of these is gloating at the fact that Alyssa and I really are seasoned travelers at this point.  There's not much we don't prepare for anymore, and our trips and packing have become so routine, we rarely speak to each other while getting ready.  Not to say the excitement isn't still there, but it is a more contained excitement, and really just focusing on a few standout things that will be a bit different during this travel adventure:  

1. This is the first time in about 5 flights where we haven't flown Red Eye to our destination. 
2. Thanks to American Airlines miles, we are able to leave from Santa Barbara, a mere 45 minutes away compared to the LAX adventure that pushes 3 hours most days.  
3. We finally decided to do TSA Precheck, so those shoes ain't coming off baby!

As seasoned travelers, we have been to a large part of this great country and usually, our travels revolve around one thing...baseball.  I am so thankful for a wife that loves baseball, adventure, and me.  She is the most selfless person I have ever met and words really can't express how much I love her.  So if you get nothing else from this whole post, I want to repeat that Alyssa, I love you with all my heart.  

Anyway, the one word that keeps coming back in my mind as I think about this upcoming vacation is "bittersweet."  I have been blessed to travel throughout this great country and thankfully, my travels have taken me to a lot of cities.  However, I am very proud to say that at the conclusion of this trip, I will have completed the #1 thing on my bucket list: 30 baseball stadiums by 30 years old.  It is still very surreal to even think I am days away from completing the list but I just want to take the time to thank all of the people that have been part of this journey.  From my dad who first introduced me to the great game of baseball to my friends and family who I've been privileged to attend games with to my wife who has embraced this beautiful game since meeting me over ten years ago.  

So as my journey is coming to an end, I plan to compile a list, in order of my journey visiting all 30 MLB teams.  Here are the first 10:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (1990-91?)
1. Unsure of the exact date but remember it was Dodgers vs. Cardinals.
2. Todd Zeile was a notable player on the Cardinals.  I remember this because he shares the same first name with my dad.
2. San Francisco Giants (1992?)
1. Attended multiple games at Candlestick as well as Pac Bell/SBC/AT&T Park.
2. Matt Williams being the only decent player to watch throughout the awful 90s years for the Giants.
3. Dad drops a ball hit by Daryl Strawberry during batting practice.  
4. High fiving Ellis Burks as I walk around during the Junior Giants parade.
5. Being freezing cold at Candlestick.
6. Getting my first ever player autograph (Moises Alou on the Astros)
3. Seattle Mariners (2003)
1. Chicago White Sox vs. Seattle Mariners.
2. Bartolo Colon pitching.
3. Sitting in the Left field bleachers with my whole family (Dad, Mom, Tamara, Amy, and I)
4. Ichiro
4. Los Angeles Angels (2004)
1. First Angel's-A's game with my Mom and my sisters.
5. Washington Nationals (July 22, 2005)
1. Game at RFK Stadium with Grandpa Wood.  
2. Roger Clemens on the mound for the Astros, 10 K's through 6 IP.
3. Nationals staff made me take down my "K" signs I made for the trip.
6. Baltimore Orioles (July 25, 2005)
1. Miserably hot game with Grandpa Wood.  2nd hottest game I've ever been at.
7. Arizona Diamondbacks (July 2005)
1. With my summer league baseball team.  Diamondbacks vs. Cardinals.
2. Albert Pujols hitting 7 home runs in a row in batting practice that still might not have landed.
8. San Diego Padres (August 9, 2005)
1. This catch by David Wright.
2. Mets vs. Padres with my dad, the Graffs, and Amy.
9. Oakland Athletics (September 4, 2005)
1. Sunday night baseball vs. the Yankees.
2. Mariano Rivera breaks three bats in a single at bat.
10. Atlanta Braves (5/4/2009)
1. Braves vs. Mets at Turner Field with my dad.
2. Drove through a gigantic rainstorm in a tiny yellow economy sized rental car thinking there was no way this game gets played.
3. Scalped $25 seats that found us in the first row behind the Braves dugout.

Well, off to bed.  Love ya.

Kyle